# List of members of the United States House of Representatives in the 12th Congress by seniority

This is a complete list of members of the United States House of Representatives during the 12th United States Congress listed by seniority. For the most part, representatives are ranked by the beginning of their terms in office.
As an historical article, the districts and party affiliations listed reflect those during the 12th Congress (March 4, 1811 – March 3, 1813). Seats and party affiliations on similar lists for other Congresses will be different for certain members.
This article describes the criteria for seniority in the House of Representatives and sets out the list of members by seniority. It is prepared on the basis of the interpretation of seniority applied to the House of Representatives in the current congress. In the absence of information to the contrary, it is presumed that the twenty-first-century practice is identical to the seniority customs used during the 12th Congress.

## House seniority

Seniority in the House, for Congressmen with unbroken service, depends on the date on which the members first term began. That date is either the start of the Congress (4 March in odd numbered years, for the era up to and including the 73rd Congress starting in 1933) or the date of a special election during the Congress. Since many members start serving on the same day as others, ranking between them is based on alphabetical order by the last name of the congressman.
Congressmen, in early Congresses, were often elected after the legal start of the Congress. Such representatives are attributed with unbroken seniority, from the legal start of the congressional term, if they were the first person elected to a seat in a Congress. The date of the election is indicated in a note.
The seniority date is normally taken from the members entry in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, except where the date given is the legal start of the Congress and the actual election (for someone who was not the first person elected to the seat in that Congress) was later. The date of election is taken from United States Congressional Elections 1788-1997. In a few instances the latter work provides dates, for the start and end of terms, which correct those in the Biographical Directory.
The Biographical Directory normally uses the date of a special election, as the seniority date. However, mostly in early Congresses, the date of the member taking his seat can be the one given. The date of the special election is mentioned in a note to the list below, when that date is not used as the seniority date by the Biographical Directory.
Representatives who returned to the House, after having previously served, are credited with service equal to one less than the total number of terms they served. When a representative has served a prior term of less than two terms (i.e. prior term minus one equals less than one), he is ranked above all others whose service begins on the same day.

## Leadership

In this Congress the only formal leader was the Speaker of the House. A Speakership ballot was held on November 4, 1811, and Henry Clay (DR-KY) was elected.
The title Dean of the House (sometimes known, in the nineteenth century, as Father of the House) was held by the member with the longest continuous service. It was not a leadership position.

## Standing committees

The House created its first standing committee, on April 13, 1789. There were nine standing committees, listed in the rules initially used by the 12th Congress.
Committees, in this period, were appointed for a session at a time by the Speaker.
This list refers to the standing committees of the House in the 12th Congress, the year of establishment as a standing committee, the number of members assigned to the committee and the dates of appointment in each session, the end of the session and its chairman. Chairmen, who were re-appointed after serving in the previous Congress, are indicated by an *.
The first session was November 4, 1811-July 6, 1812 (245 days) and the second session was November 2, 1812-March 3, 1813 (122 days).
| No. | Committee | From | Mbrs | Appointed | Chairman |
| 1 | Accounts | 1805 | 3 | November 8, 1811-July 6, 1812 | Charles Turner, Jr. (DR-MA) |
| 1 | Accounts | 1805 | 3 | November 5, 1812-March 3, 1813 | Charles Turner, Jr. (DR-MA) |
| 2 | Claims | 1794 | 7 | November 8, 1811-July 6, 1812 | Burwell Bassett (DR-VA) |
| 2 | Claims | 1794 | 7 | November 5, 1812-March 3, 1813 | Thomas Gholson, Jr. (DR-VA) |
| 3 | Commerce and Manufactures | 1795 | 7 | November 8, 1811-July 6, 1812 | *Thomas Newton, Jr. (DR-VA) |
| 3 | Commerce and Manufactures | 1795 | 7 | November 5, 1812-March 3, 1813 | *Thomas Newton, Jr. (DR-VA) |
| 4 | District of Columbia | 1808 | 7 | November 8, 1811-July 6, 1812 | Joseph Lewis, Jr. (F-VA) |
| 4 | District of Columbia | 1808 | 7 | November 5, 1812-March 3, 1813 | Joseph Lewis, Jr. (F-VA) |
| 5 | Elections | 1789 | 7 | November 7, 1811-July 6, 1812 | *William Findley (DR-PA) |
| 5 | Elections | 1789 | 7 | November 5, 1812-March 3, 1813 | *William Findley (DR-PA) |
| 6 | Post Office and Post Roads | 1808 | 17 | November 8, 1811-July 6, 1812 | *John Rhea (DR-TN) |
| 6 | Post Office and Post Roads | 1808 | 7 | November 5, 1812-March 3, 1813 | *John Rhea (DR-TN) |
| 7 | Public Lands | 1805 | 7 | November 8, 1811-July 6, 1812 | *Jeremiah Morrow (DR-OH) |
| 7 | Public Lands | 1805 | 7 | November 5, 1812-March 3, 1813 | *Jeremiah Morrow (DR-OH) |
| 8 | Revisal and Unfinished Business | 1795 | 3 | November 8, 1811-July 6, 1812 | Adam Seybert (DR-PA) |
| 8 | Revisal and Unfinished Business | 1795 | 3 | November 5, 1812-March 3, 1813 | Burwell Bassett (DR-VA) |
| 9 | Ways and Means | 1802 | 7 | November 8, 1811-July 6, 1812 | Ezekiel Bacon (DR-MA) |
| 9 | Ways and Means | 1802 | 7 | November 5, 1812-March 3, 1813 | Langdon Cheves (DR-SC) |

## List of representatives by seniority

A numerical rank is assigned to each of the 142 members initially elected to the 12th Congress. Other members, who were not the first person elected to a seat but who joined the House during the Congress, are not assigned a number (with the exception of the first member from the newly admitted state of Louisiana, who is numbered 143).
Four Representatives-elect were not sworn in, as they resigned. The list below includes the Representatives-elect (with name in italics), with the seniority they would have held if sworn in.
Party designations used in this article are DR for Democratic-Republican members and F for Federalist representatives. Designations used for service in the first three congresses are (A) for Anti-Administration members and (P) for Pro-Administration representatives.
U.S. House seniority :
| Rank | Representative | Party | District | Seniority date | Notes |
| Eleven consecutive terms ||||||
| 1 | Nathaniel Macon | DR | NC-6 | March 4, 1791 | (A) 1791–95. Dean of the House. |
| Nine consecutive terms ||||||
| 2 | Joseph B. Varnum | DR | MA-4 | March 4, 1795 | Resigned, as Representative-elect, to become US Senator: June 29, 1811 |
| Nine non-consecutive terms ||||||
| 3 | William Findley | DR | PA-8 | March 4, 1803 | Previously served (A) 1791-95 and (DR) 1795-99 while in the House. Chairman: Elections. |
| Eight consecutive terms ||||||
| 4 | Matthew Clay | DR | VA-14 | March 4, 1797 | Elected to this Congress: April 1811. Last term while serving in the House until 14th Congress. |
| 5 | John Dawson | DR | VA-10 | March 4, 1797 | Elected to this Congress: April 1811 |
| 6 | Richard Stanford | DR | NC-8 | March 4, 1797 | |
| 7 | Robert Brown | DR | PA-2 | December 4, 1798 | |
| Eight non-consecutive terms ||||||
| 8 | John Clopton | DR | VA-22 | March 4, 1801 | Previously served (DR) 1795-99 while in the House. Elected to this Congress: April 1811. |
| 9 | John Smilie | DR | PA-9 | March 4, 1799 | Previously served (A) 1793-95 while in the House. Died on December 30, 1812, while still serving in the House. |
| 10 | Richard Winn | DR | SC-5 | January 24, 1803 | Previously served (A) 1793-95 and (DR) 1795-97 while in the House. Last term while serving in the House. |
| Seven consecutive terms ||||||
| 11 | Willis Alston | DR | NC-2 | March 4, 1799 | |
| 12 | John Davenport | F | CT-al | March 4, 1799 | |
| 13 | Edwin Gray | DR | VA-19 | March 4, 1799 | Elected to this Congress: April 1811. Last term while serving in the House. |
| 14 | John Randolph | DR | VA-15 | March 4, 1799 | Elected to this Congress: April 1811. Last term while serving in the House until 14th Congress. |
| Seven non-consecutive terms ||||||
| 15 | David Bard | DR | PA-4 | March 4, 1803 | Previously served (DR) 1795-99 while in the House. |
| 16 | Anthony New | DR | KY-1 | March 4, 1811 | Previously served (A-VA) 1793-95 and (DR-VA) 1795-1805 while in the House. Last term while serving in the House until 15th Congress. |
| Six consecutive terms ||||||
| 17 | William Butler | DR | SC-2 | March 4, 1801 | Last term while serving in the House. |
| 18 | Thomas Moore | DR | SC-7 | March 4, 1801 | Last term while serving in the House until 14th Congress. |
| 19 | Thomas Newton, Jr. | DR | VA-20 | March 4, 1801 | Elected to this Congress: April 1811. Chairman: Commerce and Manufactures. |
| 20 | John Smith | DR | VA-3 | March 4, 1801 | Elected to this Congress: April 1811 |
| 21 | Richard Cutts | DR | MA-14 | June 22, 1801 | Last term while serving in the House. |
| 22 | Benjamin Tallmadge | F | CT-al | September 21, 1801 | |
| Six non-consecutive terms ||||||
| 23 | Thomas Blount | DR | NC-3 | March 4, 1811 | Previously served (A) 1793-95; (DR) 1795-99 and 1805-09 while in the House. Died on February 7, 1812, while still serving in the House. |
| Five consecutive terms ||||||
| 24 | Martin Chittenden | F | VT-4 | March 4, 1803 | Last term while serving in the House. |
| 25 | Peterson Goodwyn | DR | VA-18 | March 4, 1803 | Elected to this Congress: April 1811 |
| 26 | Joseph Lewis, Jr. | F | VA-7 | March 4, 1803 | Elected to this Congress: April 1811. Chairman: District of Columbia. |
| 27 | Jeremiah Morrow | DR | OH-al | March 4, 1803 | Chairman: Public Lands. Last term while serving in the House until 26th Congress. |
| 28 | John Rhea | DR | TN-1 | March 4, 1803 | Elected to this Congress: August 1–2, 1811. Washington District. Chairman: Post Office and Post Roads. |
| 29 | Ebenezer Seaver | DR | MA-13 | March 4, 1803 | Last term while serving in the House. |
| 30 | Samuel Taggart | F | MA-6 | March 4, 1803 | |
| Four consecutive terms ||||||
| 31 | Burwell Bassett | DR | VA-12 | March 4, 1805 | Elected to this Congress: April 1811. Chairman: Claims (1811–12). Chairman: Revisal and Unfinished Business (1812–13). Last term while serving in the House until 14th Congress. |
| 32 | William Ely | F | MA-5 | March 4, 1805 | |
| 33 | Charles Goldsborough | F | MD-8 | March 4, 1805 | |
| 34 | Jonathan O. Moseley | F | CT-al | March 4, 1805 | |
| 35 | Josiah Quincy | F | MA-1 | March 4, 1805 | Last term while serving in the House. |
| 36 | Timothy Pitkin | F | CT-al | September 16, 1805 | |
| 37 | Lewis B. Sturges | F | CT-al | September 16, 1805 | |
| 38 | Robert Whitehill | DR | PA-4 | November 7, 1805 | |
| 39 | William A. Burwell | DR | VA-13 | December 1, 1806 | Elected to this Congress: April 1811 |
| 40 | William W. Bibb | DR | GA-al | January 26, 1807 | |
| Four non-consecutive terms ||||||
| 41 | William Blackledge | DR | NC-4 | March 4, 1811 | Previously served (DR) 1803-09 while in the House. Last term while serving in the House. |
| 42 | Thomas Sammons | DR | NY-9 | March 4, 1809 | Previously served (DR) 1803-07 while in the House. Last term while serving in the House. |
| 43 | Adam Boyd | DR | NJ-al | March 8, 1808 | Previously served (DR) 1803-05 while in the House. Last term while serving in the House. |
| 44 | Samuel L. Mitchill | DR | NY-2 | December 4, 1810 | Previously served (DR) 1801-November 22, 1804, while in the House. Last term while serving in the House. |
| Three consecutive terms ||||||
| 45 | Epaphroditus Champion | F | CT-al | March 4, 1807 | |
| 46 | Howell Cobb | DR | GA-al | March 4, 1807 | Resigned August 1812 while still serving in the House. |
| 47 | Joseph Desha | DR | KY-6 | March 4, 1807 | |
| 48 | Meshack Franklin | DR | NC-12 | March 4, 1807 | |
| 49 | Richard M. Johnson | DR | KY-4 | March 4, 1807 | |
| 50 | Philip B. Key | F | MD-3 | March 4, 1807 | Last term while serving in the House. |
| 51 | John Montgomery | DR | MD-6 | March 4, 1807 | Resigned, as Representative-elect: April 29, 1811 |
| 52 | Thomas Newbold | DR | NJ-al | March 4, 1807 | Last term while serving in the House. |
| 53 | Lemuel Sawyer | DR | NC-1 | March 4, 1807 | Last term while serving in the House until 15th Congress. |
| 54 | George M. Troup | DR | GA-al | March 4, 1807 | |
| 55 | Ezekiel Bacon | DR | MA-12 | September 16, 1807 | Chairman: Ways and Means (1811–12). Last term while serving in the House. |
| 56 | Samuel Shaw | DR | VT-1 | September 6, 1808 | Last term while serving in the House. |
| 57 | Thomas Gholson, Jr. | DR | VA-17 | November 7, 1808 | Elected to this Congress: April 1811. Chairman: Claims (1812–13). |
| 58 | Richard Jackson, Jr. | F | RI-al | November 11, 1808 | |
| Three non-consecutive terms ||||||
| 59 | James Fisk | DR | VT-3 | March 4, 1811 | Previously served (DR) 1805-09 while in the House. |
| 60 | Isaiah L. Green | DR | MA-8 | March 4, 1811 | Previously served (DR) 1805-09 while in the House. |
| 61 | Uri Tracy | DR | NY-13 | March 4, 1809 | Previously served (DR) 1805-07 while in the House. Last term while serving in the House. |
| 62 | David R. Williams | DR | SC-3 | March 4, 1811 | Previously served (DR) 1805-09 while in the House. Last term while serving in the House. |
| 63 | Elisha R. Potter | F | RI-al | March 4, 1809 | Previously served (F) November 15, 1796–97 while in the House. |
| Two consecutive terms ||||||
| 64 | William Anderson | DR | PA-1 | March 4, 1809 | |
| 65 | James Breckinridge | F | VA-5 | March 4, 1809 | Elected to this Congress: April 1811 |
| 66 | John Brown | DR | MD-7 | March 4, 1809 | Resigned, as Representative-elect: 1810 |
| 67 | James Cochran | DR | NC-9 | March 4, 1809 | Last term while serving in the House. |
| 68 | William Crawford | DR | PA-1 | March 4, 1809 | |
| 69 | James Emott | F | NY-4 | March 4, 1809 | Last term while serving in the House. |
| 70 | Barzillai Gannett | DR | MA-17 | March 4, 1809 | Resigned, as Representative-elect: July 29, 1811 |
| 71 | Thomas R. Gold | F | NY-11 | March 4, 1809 | Last term while serving in the House until 14th Congress. |
| 72 | Jacob Hufty | DR | NJ-al | March 4, 1809 | |
| 73 | Robert L. Livingston | F | NY-6 | March 4, 1809 | Resigned on May 6, 1812, while still serving in the House. |
| 74 | Aaron Lyle | DR | PA-10 | March 4, 1809 | |
| 75 | Archibald McBryde | F | NC-7 | March 4, 1809 | Last term while serving in the House. |
| 76 | Samuel McKee | DR | KY-2 | March 4, 1809 | |
| 77 | Alexander McKim | DR | MD-5 | March 4, 1809 | |
| 78 | Joseph Pearson | F | NC-10 | March 4, 1809 | |
| 79 | Peter B. Porter | DR | NY-15 | March 4, 1809 | Last term while serving in the House until 14th Congress. |
| 80 | John Roane | DR | VA-11 | March 4, 1809 | Elected to this Congress: April 1811 |
| 81 | Ebenezer Sage | DR | NY-1 | March 4, 1809 | |
| 82 | Daniel Sheffey | F | VA-6 | March 4, 1809 | Elected to this Congress: April 1811 |
| 83 | George Smith | DR | PA-5 | March 4, 1809 | Last term while serving in the House. |
| 84 | Laban Wheaton | F | MA-9 | March 4, 1809 | |
| 85 | Charles Turner, Jr. | DR | MA-7 | June 28, 1809 | Chairman: Accounts. Last term while serving in the House. |
| 86 | Adam Seybert | DR | PA-1 | October 10, 1809 | Chairman: Revisal and Unfinished Business (1811–12) |
| 87 | Abijah Bigelow | F | MA-11 | October 8, 1810 | |
| 88 | Samuel Ringgold | DR | MD-4 | October 15, 1810 | |
| ... | Robert Wright | DR | MD-7 | November 29, 1810 | Special election to 11th and 12th Congresses: November 15, 1810 |
| 89 | Langdon Cheves | DR | SC-1 | December 31, 1810 | Chairman: Ways and Means (1812–13) |
| Two non-consecutive terms ||||||
| 90 | John Sevier | DR | TN-2 | March 4, 1811 | Previously served (NC-P) June 16, 1790–91 while in the House. Elected to this Congress: August 1–2, 1811. Hamilton District. |
| 91 | Elias Earle | DR | SC-8 | March 4, 1811 | Previously served September 27, 1806–07 while in the House. |
| One term ||||||
| 92 | Daniel Avery | DR | NY-14 | March 4, 1811 | |
| 93 | John Baker | F | VA-2 | March 4, 1811 | Elected to this Congress: April 1811. Only term while serving in the House. |
| 94 | Josiah Bartlett, Jr. | DR | NH-al | March 4, 1811 | Only term while serving in the House. |
| 95 | Harmanus Bleecker | F | NY-7 | March 4, 1811 | Only term while serving in the House. |
| 96 | Elijah Brigham | F | MA-10 | March 4, 1811 | |
| 97 | John C. Calhoun | DR | SC-6 | March 4, 1811 | |
| 98 | Henry Clay | DR | KY-5 | March 4, 1811 | Speaker of the House |
| 99 | Lewis Condict | DR | NJ-al | March 4, 1811 | |
| 100 | Thomas B. Cooke | DR | NY-5 | March 4, 1811 | Only term while serving in the House. |
| 101 | Roger Davis | DR | PA-3 | March 4, 1811 | |
| 102 | Samuel Dinsmoor | DR | NH-al | March 4, 1811 | Only term while serving in the House. |
| 103 | Asa Fitch | F | NY-6 | March 4, 1811 | Only term while serving in the House. |
| 104 | Felix Grundy | DR | TN-3 | March 4, 1811 | Elected to this Congress: August 1–2, 1811. Mero District. |
| 105 | Bolling Hall | DR | GA-al | March 4, 1811 | |
| 106 | Obed Hall | DR | NH-al | March 4, 1811 | Only term while serving in the House. |
| 107 | John A. Harper | DR | NH-al | March 4, 1811 | Only term while serving in the House. |
| 108 | Aylett Hawes | DR | VA-9 | March 4, 1811 | Elected to this Congress: April 1811 |
| 109 | John P. Hungerford | DR | VA-8 | March 4, 1811 | Elected to this Congress: April 1811. Unseated, after election contest: November 29, 1811. Only term while serving in the House until 13th Congress. |
| 110 | John M. Hyneman | DR | PA-3 | March 4, 1811 | |
| 111 | Joseph Kent | DR | MD-2 | March 4, 1811 | |
| 112 | William R. King | DR | NC-5 | March 4, 1811 | |
| 113 | Abner Lacock | DR | PA-11 | March 4, 1811 | Only term while serving in the House (elected to but did not serve in 13th Congress) |
| 114 | Lyman Law | F | CT-al | March 4, 1811 | |
| 115 | Joseph Lefever | DR | PA-3 | March 4, 1811 | Only term while serving in the House. |
| 116 | Peter Little | DR | MD-5 | March 4, 1811 | Only term while serving in the House until 14th Congress. |
| 117 | William Lowndes | DR | SC-4 | March 4, 1811 | |
| 118 | George C. Maxwell | DR | NJ-al | March 4, 1811 | Only term while serving in the House. |
| 119 | William McCoy | DR | VA-4 | March 4, 1811 | Elected to this Congress: April 1811 |
| 120 | Arunah Metcalf | DR | NY-12 | March 4, 1811 | Only term while serving in the House. |
| 121 | James Milnor | F | PA-1 | March 4, 1811 | Only term while serving in the House. |
| 122 | James Morgan | DR | NJ-al | March 4, 1811 | Only term while serving in the House. |
| 123 | Hugh Nelson | DR | VA-21 | March 4, 1811 | Elected to this Congress: April 1811 |
| 124 | Stephen Ormsby | DR | KY-3 | March 4, 1811 | Only term while serving in the House until 13th Congress. |
| 125 | William Paulding, Jr. | DR | NY-2 | March 4, 1811 | Only term while serving in the House. |
| 126 | Israel Pickens | DR | NC-11 | March 4, 1811 | |
| 127 | William Piper | DR | PA-7 | March 4, 1811 | |
| 128 | James Pleasants | DR | VA-16 | March 4, 1811 | Elected to this Congress: April 1811 |
| 129 | Benjamin Pond | DR | NY-8 | March 4, 1811 | Only term while serving in the House. Elected to but did not serve in 14th Congress. |
| 130 | William Reed | F | MA-2 | March 4, 1811 | |
| 131 | Henry M. Ridgely | F | DE-al | March 4, 1811 | |
| 132 | Jonathan Roberts | DR | PA-2 | March 4, 1811 | |
| 133 | William Rodman | DR | PA-2 | March 4, 1811 | Only term while serving in the House. |
| 134 | Silas Stow | DR | NY-10 | March 4, 1811 | Only term while serving in the House. |
| 135 | William Strong | DR | VT-2 | March 4, 1811 | |
| 136 | Philip Stuart | F | MD-1 | March 4, 1811 | |
| 137 | George Sullivan | F | NH-al | March 4, 1811 | Only term while serving in the House. |
| 138 | Peleg Tallman | DR | MA-16 | March 4, 1811 | Only term while serving in the House. |
| 139 | Pierre Van Cortlandt, Jr. | DR | NY-3 | March 4, 1811 | Only term while serving in the House. |
| 140 | Leonard White | F | MA-3 | March 4, 1811 | Only term while serving in the House. |
| 141 | William Widgery | DR | MA-15 | March 4, 1811 | Elected to this Congress: April 1, 1811. Only term while serving in the House. |
| 142 | Thomas Wilson | F | VA-1 | March 4, 1811 | Elected to this Congress: April 1811. Only term while serving in the House. |
| Members joining the House, after the start of the Congress ||||||
| ... | Stevenson Archer | DR | MD-6 | October 26, 1811 | Special election: October 2, 1811 |
| ... | William M. Richardson | DR | MA-4 | November 4, 1811 | Special election |
| ... | John Taliaferro | DR | VA-8 | December 2, 1811 | Seated after election contest. Previously served (DR) 1801–03 while in the House. Last term until 18th Congress. |
| ... | Francis Carr | DR | MA-17 | April 6, 1812 | Special election. Only term while serving in the House. |
| 143 | Thomas B. Robertson | DR | LA-al | April 30, 1812 | First Representative from new state |
| ... | William Barnett | DR | GA-al | October 5, 1812 | Special election |
| ... | Thomas P. Grosvenor | F | NY-6 | January 29, 1813 | Special election: December 15–17, 1812 |
| ... | William Kennedy | DR | NC-3 | January 30, 1813 | Previously served (DR) 1803-05 while in the House. Special election: January 11, 1813. |
| Non voting members ||||||
| a | George Poindexter | - | MS-al | March 4, 1807 | Delegate from Mississippi Territory. Last term until Representative in 15th Congress. |
| b | Jonathan Jennings | - | IN-al | November 27, 1809 | Delegate from Indiana Territory |
| c | Edward Hempstead | - | MO-al | November 9, 1812 | Delegate from Missouri Territory |
| d | Shadrack Bond | - | IL-al | December 3, 1812 | Delegate from Illinois Territory |